The present invention relates to devices for clipping hair, and more specifically to hair clipping devices designed for use in trimming facial hair such as moustaches, beards and sideburns, as well as touch up trimming or general trimming of hair anywhere on one's head or body.
A common problem to both individuals sporting facial hair such as moustaches, beards and sideburns, and professional hair stylists having such individuals as customers, is the collection of hair clippings generated in grooming and trimming such facial hair, and/or trimming of other stray hairs on or around the neck, ears, eyes or other light duty general hair trimming. Whether the trimming is accomplished with a powered trimmer or clippers, or with an ordinary scissors, the typically relatively short hair clippings have the tendency to spread over a wide area of a counter, sink or table adjacent the mirror used to facilitate the trimming, as well as upon the individual being trimmed. Clippings on one's clothing are especially unsightly. It has been found that the resulting mess from such trimming is worse when an electric trimmer is used, since the reciprocating blades have the tendency to throw the clippings over a wider area.
In an approach to solving the problem which is designed particularly for hair stylists, an electric hair clipper has been provided in which a vacuum hose is connectable to an outlet on the clipper body. This apparatus is somewhat cumbersome, requires a separate vacuum unit and is not well suited to home use.
Another attempt to address the problem of collecting hair trimmings is commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,971, which discloses a cordless trimmer for delicate hairs such as those growing in or around the nose, ears and/or eyes. Since this device is compact, relatively low powered and designed for precise cutting of delicate areas, there is a perceived need for a unit with greater power and cutting capacity. Also, both cordless and AC-powered units are desired. An increase in power will generate additional clippings, and as such a more effective vacuum system is needed.
Another concern of individuals with facial hair is the ability to precisely trim around the nose, lips and ears with the same device as is used for performing the “gross” trimming. In response, some conventional electric clippers or shavers offer auxiliary pop-up trimming blades which are supplemental to the main cutting blades. However, one disadvantage of these supplemental trimming blades is that they are placed in close proximity to the main blades, and in some cases both sets of blades may cut hair, while only one set is so intended. The result is an uneven trimming job and a frustrated user. In some cases, the unintended set of blades may pull the hair or skin of the user. Further, the close proximity of the main and auxiliary blades in some cases obscures the visibility of the area to be trimmed.
Accordingly, a first object of the present invention is to provide an improved hair clipping device with accessible and visible blades for performing both gross and fine trimming.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hair clipping device with an internal vacuum for easily collecting hair, and with blades for performing both gross and fine trimming wherein the device is configured so that the vacuum is effective in collecting clippings regardless of whether gross or fine trimming is performed.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hair clipping device with blades for performing both gross and fine trimming, wherein the type of trimming can be selected while the user retains the same hand position, and wherein the cutting location is easily viewed.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hair clipping device which features a rotatable bladeset which provides a choice between fine and gross trimming, and also featuring a locking assembly to releasably secure the chassis in the selected position.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved hair clipping device which features a rotatable bladeset which provides a choice between fine and gross trimming, wherein when one such type of trimming is selected, the non-selected blades are kept out of the way to minimize interference with cutting or snagging by the selected blades.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved hair clipping device which features a rotatable bladeset which provides a choice between fine and gross trimming, and a comb assembly, with a locking mechanism configured so that both the bladeset and the comb assembly may be released with a single button.